Sara Rushell Griffeth, better known as Mama Sara, was the Matriarch of the Mattox Family. She was born on August 20, 1930, in Elberton, GA to the late Sam Oliver and Hester Mae Rucker Mattox. The first born of eleven children, Sara attended Bowman High School in Elbert County, GA, but resided in Gainesville, GA for many years. She worked as a teacher at Flatwood Elementary for about 1 year. Sara was blessed to be loved and wed 3 times in her lifetime. First, she was married to the late Harold Curry. Her second marriage was to the late Webb Hill. Later in life, she was married to her late husband, James Griffith, for over 20 years. Her passion to care for others afforded her a career as a Caretaker at the United Methodist Church in Gainesville, GA for more than 20 years. Mama Sara loved the Lord, and she was a very devoted and diligent Christian woman. Her love for the Lord and her unwavering desire to serve led her to become a faithful member of the New Salem Baptist Church of Jefferson, GA, her home church, where she was a dedicated member for more than 40 years. She served on the Usher Board and led the Mother Board of the church during her tenure.
Mama Sara could be described with a passel of adjectives to include strong, determined, generous, nurturing, wise, humorous, affectionate, compassionate, patient and most of all, loving. Cooking was her passion. Many souls have been blessed to please their palate with the delicious food prepared by her.
Mama Sara was a very loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, caretaker, and friend to all whose lives she touched. She was well known, well respected and greatly loved because she gave from the heart, she lived with joy, and she taught all who encountered her valuable life lessons and wisdom. The kind of love that all of us felt from her was a love without conditions. Because she lived a simple and happy life, it didn’t take much to make her smile – a simple phone call, partaking in some of her Sunday’s best or a random visit just to laugh with her. Her family was her world, and she lived her life for them.
Most of all, she loved her family and friends and instilled good values in her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and a myriad of spiritual loved ones whom she cared for and took in as her own. The values she has instilled will serve them well in any of their life’s pursuits. In addition to her kisses and hugs, the inheritance of her love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness is permanent and will forever be in the hearts of those who encountered her. Now, let us all lean on and support each other because that is what she always wanted.
Our beloved Matriarch gained her wings on February 3, 2022, at the age of 91. She is preceded in death by her late husband, James Griffeth, her father, Sam Oliver Mattox, her mother, Hester Mae Rucker Mattox, her sons: Marvin Hester and Harold Curry; her daughters: Rosie “Mae” Harris and Sharon Thompson; brothers: James O. Mattox, Wilburn F. Mattox, and Billy Mattox; sisters: Canyous Mattox, Verma Ruth Lott, Elizabeth Carrington, and Roszell Langston Almond.
She is survived by her beloved children, four daughters: Venita Pope of Gainesville, GA; Arlissa (Julius) Thomas of Cleveland, GA; Trina Lipscomb of Stone Mountain, GA; Adrian Usher of Lula, GA; one son: Joseph (Georgia) Hill of Gillsville, GA; a myriad of spiritual children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren; one brother: Alton Mattox of Warner Robins, GA; three sisters: Francine Mays of Gainesville, GA; Dorothy Carter of Gainesville, GA and, Betty (Edward) Shields of Las Vegas, NV and a multitude of nieces and nephews who adored her most of all.
The Visitation for Mama Sara will be Friday, February 11th between the hours of 12-8 at Wimberly Funeral Home. Her Celebration of Life Saturday, February 12th at the hour of 1pm. Professional Service Entrusted to Wimberly Funeral Home.
